Visual projection systems are commonly used for entertainment and displaying, and presenting visual information to groups of people. Such visual projection systems typically include a projector unit and a projection screen.
In spaces such as classrooms, conference rooms, and public assembly halls, where the space is often used for presentations, and in home entertainment rooms, it is common that the projector unit be installed as a more or less permanent fixture in the space. Often, the projector will be suspended from an overhead structure, such as a building floor/ceiling assembly or roof, in order to give the projector an unobstructed projection path and to protect it from damage by inadvertent contact. It is generally desirable that the mount be adjustable over a wide range of positions to enable proper aiming and focusing of the projector.
Projectors, particularly LCD, CRT, and DRP projectors designed for frequent use in a setting such as described above are quite expensive. In addition, the spaces where the projector is installed may be left unsecured for periods of time or left unattended. Consequently, a problem is that projector units are attractive targets for theft, vandalism and other tampering.
There are many different makes and models of mountable projectors commercially available today. There is no single standard for mounting attachments in the industry, and consequently, the mounting attachment fixture configurations differ widely between manufacturers. A consequent problem with available mounting devices to date has been that mounts are not generally interchangeable between projector makes, and therefore, mounts must be made in a large variety of separate configurations. The industry would benefit from a single universal projector mount that can be fitted to mount projectors of a variety of different makes and models.